How to Watch SailGP
If you’d like to compare 5 knots to 50 knots, this is the weekend to take your boat out on the Bay. But keep your distance. SailGP is sailing on the Cityfront with practice races today and the two-day regatta tomorrow and Sunday. Some of the Latitude 38 crew will be off on the Vallejo Race; others will check out the action on the Cityfront.
Spectating from Shore
The SailGP Race Village will run along the Marina Yacht Club Peninsula between the St. Francis and Golden Gate Yacht Clubs. The village is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s free to the public. Enhanced viewing experiences are available from the grandstand and official spectator boats. Fans on the grandstand and spectator boats will benefit from announcing and large-screen viewing, which, from our AC34 experience, really helps you follow the action on the water. To check on availability for tickets click here.
To follow more closely with your own tools you can download the app from iTunes or Google, listen in on VHF Channel 20, and follow along on Facebook Live.
Spectating from the Water
Following on the water allows you to see some of the action while taking in a good day of sailing. However, given the speed of boats and potential traffic, there will be strict Coast Guard exclusion zones. Today the exclusion zone will be in effect from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with practice racing from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. The exclusion zone will be marked by a series of orange inflatable tetrahedron-shaped SailGP stake marks. Electronic markers identify the racecourse boundaries, and official SailGP boats will visually mark the racecourse perimeter. The north and south sides of the course are no-loitering areas, and spectator boats are encouraged to remain in one position.
Weekend racing will run from approximately 12:30 to 2 p.m., though, as we found on Tuesday when a whale passed through the racecourse, there can be delays. The race choreography is good, and the boats are fun to watch between races while they practice. Bring warm clothes and watch the sailors balance speed, tactics and survival on San Francisco Bay. To learn more visit SailGP-San-Francisco.